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T O P I C R E V I E W

Robert Pearlman

General Dynamics NASSCO release

General Dynamics NASSCO Begins Construction of the Future USNS John Glenn

General Dynamics NASSCO today (April 17) began construction of the future USNS John Glenn, the second ship of the U.S. Navy's Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) program. The 765-foot long ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in the first quarter of 2014.

When in service, the ship will be used as an offshore staging area for Navy and U.S. Marine Corps personnel and equipment.

NASSCO has construction contracts to build a total of three Mobile Landing Platform ships. The first ship of the class, the future USNS Montford Point, is currently 48 percent complete at the San Diego shipyard.

Once delivered to the fleet, MLP ships will join the Maritime Prepositioning Force squadrons that are strategically located around the world to enable rapid response in a crisis. These ships will provide a "pier at sea" that will become the core of the Navy/Marine Corps sea basing concept.

This capability will allow prepositioning ships to offload equipment and supplies to the MLP for transshipment to shore by other vessels.

See here for discussion of the U.S. Navy's naming ships for astronauts.

Robert Pearlman

General Dynamics NASSCO release

Ship Ceremony Information

USNS John Glenn (MLP 2) is to be christened at General Dynamics NASSCO on February 1, 2014.

WHAT: Christening and Naming of the USNS John Glenn (MLP 2).

WHEN: Saturday, February 1, 2014. The christening ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and is free and open to the public. NASSCO's Main Gate (Gate 6), located at 28th Street and East Harbor Drive, will open at 9 a.m.

WHO: Ms. Lyn Glenn, daughter of The Honorable John Glenn and the ship's sponsor, will ceremonially name the ship by breaking the traditional bottle of champagne against its hull. Speaking will be dignitaries from the United States Navy, including Admiral Jonathan Greenert, Chief of Naval Operations, as well as Kevin Graney, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics NASSCO.

WHERE: The General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard is located at 2798 East Harbor Drive in San Diego. Limited parking will be available to the public. Attendees are advised to take the San Diego Trolley to Harborside Station, across from NASSCO’s Main Gate (Gate 6). Webcast available here.

Background:The USNS John Glenn is the second ship of three Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) ships designed and built at NASSCO. The ship is named in honor of Senator John Glenn, a decorated Marine Corps pilot, distinguished astronaut and Congressional Space Medal of Honor recipient. Throughout his time with the Marine Corps, Glenn flew 59 combat missions during World War II and a combined 90 missions over the course of two tours in the Korean War. As an astronaut, Glenn has logged more than 218 hours in space, completing two missions that earned him recognition as being both the first American to orbit the Earth and the oldest person to have flown in space.

The primary mission of the MLP is to serve as a transfer point between large ships and small landing craft and act as a floating base for amphibious operations to allow for equipment and cargo to be delivered from ship to shore when there are no friendly bases available.

Robert Pearlman

NAVSEA/NASSCO photo release

The USNS John Glenn (MLP 2) successfully completed Builder's Sea Trials. The ship is expected to be delivery to the Navy in March following Acceptance Trails. Acting as a mobile seabase, MLP will be part of the critical access infrastructure that supports the deployment of forces and supplies to provide prepositioned equipment and supplies with flexible distribution in support of a variety of missions including humanitarian support and sustainment of traditional military missions.

John Glenn's first impression upon seeing the U.S. Navy ship that will sail bearing his name was that it looked "like somebody forgot to finish it."

"I thought it looked like kids playing with a LEGO set and they forgot to finish the whole thing up," the retired Marine, NASA astronaut and U.S. senator said Saturday (Feb. 1) at the christening ceremony for the USNS John Glenn. "It looks strange, but that's the very strength of this ship, that is the main reason why this ship is so different, and the reason it can be used so differently."

The second of the Navy's Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) Montford Point-class ships, the newly-named USNS John Glenn was designed based on a commercial Alaska-class crude oil carrier. The ship features an open, reconfigurable mission deck the length of a football field and a half that can support a wide variety of operations.

See here for discussion of the U.S. Navy's naming ships for astronauts.